Romney: Seesawing on what he saw
Just as one of the lower moments in Bill Clinton's presidency was his assertion that "it depends what 'is' is," Mitt Romney only hurts himself when he fails to see that "I saw" generally means spotting something with one's own eyes. "I saw my father march with Martin Luther King," he declared earlier this month in a much-anticipated speech on faith in public life. As governor of Michigan, George Romney had an honorable record on civil rights. But as the Boston Phoenix recently reported, George Romney almost certainly never marched with King. Pressed by a CBS reporter, Mitt Romney said he meant "saw" as a figure of speech. A candidate's views on political issues can change over time, as Romney well knows. As for events, either they happened before one's eyes, or they didn't.
Transportation: The cost of dithering
When states apply for federal matching money for certain highway work, the approval process is all but a rubber stamp. So when the feds hold back $1 billion for new projects in Massachusetts, residents should be alarmed. The US Department of Transportation says the state isn't setting aside enough to fix crumbling bridges and repave interstate highways. Surprise, surprise. Hardly anyone quibbled this year when a commission said the state needs $15 billion more over 20 years to tend to transportation needs. But when the panel recommended a hike in the gas tax, neither Governor Patrick nor the Legislature wanted any part of it. Unless lawmakers commit more money, the flow of federal dollars and the pace of repairs will slow, and the state's roads will keep getting worse.
Filibusters: Make them work for it
Democrats hold a slim majority in the 100-member US Senate, but chamber rules require 60 votes to cut off debate on a bill. Time was, a Senate minority had to choose its filibusters carefully; when segregationist Strom Thurmond wanted to delay a civil rights bill in 1957, he actually had to blather on for 24 hours straight. The physical demands of the tactic, and the bad publicity that went along with it, discouraged its abuse. But as Congress began to wind down for the year, Republicans held back a number of valuable measures, including efforts to close tax breaks for oil companies and hedge fund managers, simply by threatening to filibuster. No long speeches were required. Next year, why not call their bluff? If opponents of much needed bills had to keep talking and talking and talking, the public would quickly understand who's holding up progress.
